Peter Obi Allegedly Detained, Harrassed by Immigration at London airport for ‘Impersonation’ – Spokesperson
The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Office said the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, was harassed by immigration officers at Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom (UK).
According to a statement released by the Head of Media of the Obi-Datti Campaign, Diran Onifade, on Wednesday, April 12, Obi was detained and interrogated for hours by Immigration officials over offences allegedly committed by an impostor.
According to the Campaign Council, Obi’s impersonator, who is still at large, may commit some offences that might result in his arrest in the UK.
Onifade said the spontaneous action of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport saved the LP presidential candidate, who has just returned from London, where he celebrated Easter.
The statement read in parts: “The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, just back from London, United Kingdom where he celebrated Easter, has confirmed that he was harassed by London Immigration officials and placed in detention but for the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport.
“Obi-Datti Media Office can confirm that the LP presidential candidate in the February 25 presidential poll arrived at the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, and joined the queue for the necessary airport protocols when he was accosted by Immigration official who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside.
“He was questioned for a long time, and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country.”
Onifade further disclosed that as Obi was recognised by Nigerians in the Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, people who witnessed what was happening quickly raised their voices, wondering why he was being delayed.
“The Immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offence meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London,” Onifade stated.
He noted that the implication of the offence is that the impersonator could be committing serious crimes and other dubious acts that would be recorded in Obi’s name.
The Obi-Datti Media office claimed that its principal had been the target of numerous attacks since the February 25, Presidential Election in which he finished third out of 18 candidates.
The campaign office further stated that Since Obi was told to go to court, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners.
Onifade observed that the Federal Government, which directed Obi “to go to court,” still despatched the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammad, to the United States to de-market Obi and accused him of treason.
He added that Obi is back in the country and has continued his charity works.
INEC declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress winner of the presidential poll, ahead of 17 other candidates that contested the election.
The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, announced the result of the election on March 1.
According to the released result by INEC, Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled a total of 6,984,520 votes, and Obi of LP, who came third with 6,101,533 votes.
The PDP and LP candidates had since rejected the election’s outcome and are challenging it in court.
